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Policy refers to the initiatives and decisions made by government institutions aimed at resolving societal issues, allocating resources, and regulating behaviors with the goal of increasing human flourishing. Both formal and informal policies exist, ranging from laws and regulations to the unwritten practices, traditions, and beliefs that influence behavior. Regardless of their specific form, each policy is influenced by the politics and ideologies of those in power and by the broader context influencing decision-making.

The long-term impacts of government policy can significantly shape the trajectory of social movements and public opinion. For example, positive policy changes that reflect societal demands can build trust in government institutions and encourage civic engagement. By contrast, poor or ineffective policies can contribute to disillusionment with political systems, resulting in greater efforts by citizens and communities to advocate for change.

In the United States, policy debate is most often about federal issues such as monetary and fiscal policy, foreign policy, immigration, national security, and education. These topics offer a unique opportunity for advanced students to practice nuanced and strategic critical and policy arguments with a wide range of stakeholders.

NSDA members are invited to help choose the 2026-2027 Policy Debate resolutions by voting for their favorite topic areas. Voting will close Thursday, October 9 at 4:00pm CT. Please remember that only member students and one chapter advisor per active school are eligible to vote. NSDA members can log in to their accounts and rank the five topic areas 1 (best) through 5. The two areas receiving the lowest votes will be placed on the second ballot for selection.

International relations examines how the interests of different countries, groups and people interact with each other in a world of interconnectedness. It combines elements of political science, history and economics to explore topics like foreign policy, global governance, and regional conflict.

A broad set of issues that can trigger a localized or global war, such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, terrorist activities in the Middle East and the South China Sea disputes. These are the kinds of international challenges that would likely require United States involvement.

Countries that are rich, with incomes per person above the world average and have started the process of industrialisation before 1960 (a few started it before 1860). Also known as developed or wealthy countries. Contrast with developing and poor countries.

A political theory based on the idea that ideas, norms and identity play an important role in shaping world affairs. It also asserts that the ways people perceive and construct reality influences their behavior and interactions with each other.

The practice of communicating and negotiating among representatives of different countries. It can involve a range of tools, including sanctions, force and adjusting trade regulations. Diplomacy is often seen as a first resort when other tools have failed. It is not a substitute for other tools, but rather a part of them. For example, sanctions are used after diplomacy fails to achieve its goal. Also see game theory. The four Geneva conventions and three protocols that lay down the basic legal standards for treatment of prisoners and civilians in times of armed conflict.

Every four years voters choose a President and Vice President to serve the nation. The person who wins the most popular votes, or a “landslide,” is considered to have a mandate to launch enduring political and economic changes. Landslides are usually marked by large electoral majorities in multiple states.

Candidates who want to be President belong to political parties that share similar ideas about how the government should work. Candidates campaign through state primary elections and caucuses to win the support of party members. The winners of these contests become “delegates” who will attend the party’s nominating convention to select the final presidential candidate to appear on voters’ ballots in November.

Each state has a set number of electoral votes based on its population. A total of 538 electoral votes are selected and the person who gets more than half (270) of these votes is elected President. The winner is sworn into office on January 20.

As the race for the White House continues to tighten, Harris holds a narrow lead in the national polls, though the margin is close enough that it could shift in either direction. Regardless, both campaigns continue to push aggressively to turn out the vote in battleground states.

As a result, the Democratic and Republican parties have created debates designed to help the voters make informed choices. Typically, each candidate is given 2 minutes to answer questions and 1 minute to offer closing remarks. Moderators use colored lights resembling traffic signals to let the candidates know when their time is nearly up.

Whether you’re a long-term investor or a short-term trader, you have to pay attention to corporate earnings. But many people don’t fully understand what these numbers mean and how they affect stock prices. In this article, we’ll cover what corporate earnings are, why they’re important, and how to analyze a company’s earnings report.

Corporate earnings, also called net income or bottom-line, represent how much money a business makes during a given period after all expenses are paid. They’re a key indicator of the health of the economy. Rising profits usually lead to economic growth, while declining profits can signal a slowdown or even a recession.

While there are a number of different ways to measure profitability, the most widely used metric is earnings per share (EPS). This calculation divides a company’s net profit by its total shares outstanding. It’s a useful metric for comparisons between companies, because it accounts for the number of shares each shareholder owns.

Earnings reports are released four times a year and are closely watched by investors and the general public. They’re one of the main factors that drive stock prices up and down. For example, if a company’s EPS is rising and its stock price is climbing, this indicates that investors are optimistic about the future of the company. However, if earnings are falling and the stock price is declining, this suggests that investors expect weaker future results. In either case, the stock price will likely fall until expectations are met or exceeded.

A summit meeting is an event in which powerful leaders or people of great influence come together to discuss and present solutions to a specific issue. These events are typically held to raise awareness or create a positive impact in the world. Summits can be hosted by businesses, organizations, and government agencies. They can also be held online or at venues outside of the physical realm. To attract the right audience, a summit must be well-organized and clearly define its topic and agenda.

Summits are a perfect opportunity for networking. Attendees are often industry professionals, experts, or business owners who want to collaborate with other like-minded individuals. This can lead to collaborations that can bring about significant results. Summits can also be a fantastic way to learn new information and develop expertise in your field.

Governments and intergovernmental organizations host large-scale international summit meetings on a wide range of topics that are important to their countries and the wider global community. They can be centered around political issues, economic policy, or humanitarian concerns. Similarly, industry associations within sectors like healthcare, finance, or technology often organize summits to share the latest research and developments with their members.

To host a successful summit, it’s essential to create an agenda and invite influential speakers who are knowledgeable in the subject area. It’s also important to promote the event through multiple channels to ensure that it reaches the right audience. Additionally, it’s helpful to partner with other organizations or influencers in your field to help spread the word about your event.

A political campaign is an organized effort to elect candidates to public office or pass ballot initiatives like constitutional amendments and legislative referenda. These campaigns rely on paid staffers and volunteers to organize, fundraise, promote, and manage the campaign’s strategy. Political campaigns must adhere to various legal regulations, adapt to public sentiment, and employ modern techniques like data analytics and social media.

Working on a political campaign can be a great way to gain valuable experience and build a meaningful career, particularly for early-career professionals. However, it is not for everyone, and whether or not you pursue this type of work will depend on your personal fit and broader career goals. If you’re interested in getting involved, start by researching the campaign, finding out what positions are available, and determining if any of them will suit your skills and interests.

In the US, most presidential campaigns are managed by an individual political party, while state legislative and congressional campaigns are typically overseen by a campaign committee. These committees, which are staffed by elected officials, help to protect incumbents from challengers and gain seats for their caucuses or parties. They also issue lists of prioritized races throughout the election cycle, which signal to donors and other members of their partisan ecosystems which campaigns are worth their investment. Most paid staffers on a political campaign handle project management and budgeting, fundraising and donor relations, volunteer recruitment and engagement, and other strategic decisions for the entire organization.

Market trend is the general direction that a market or security price is moving. The movement can be upwards (a bull run), downwards (a bear run) or sideways (rangebound). Market trends are a key part of technical analysis and help traders determine when a trade is worth taking, how to manage their risk and how to predict future price movements.

Whether you are a business owner or a trader, understanding the market trend can make or break your bottom line. By analyzing and staying on top of the latest market trend, businesses can prevent disruptions in their sales and operations and stay competitive and viable.

Trends come in all shapes and sizes, from cultural signals like the rise of quiet luxury to sudden spikes in demand for things like eco-friendly packaging. But when it comes to identifying market trends, it takes more than just a good instinct to know when something is real and worth paying attention to. Reliable consumer data over time, including cross-market comparisons, can identify key shifts in perception that might otherwise be missed.

Traders identify market trends using tools such as trendlines, indicators and candlestick patterns. They look for positive trends that can be confirmed with price action and technical indicators like RSI or MAs, as well as negative trends that can be identified through the opposite action — such as higher lows and lower highs — and indicators such as overbought and oversold levels.

A news feature is a longer piece of radio or television news, often with a human interest angle. It’s the chance for the journalist to step back and view a topic from a social and historical perspective and to relate current events to that wider picture. It’s also an opportunity to present good news as well as bad.

As with all news, the audience should be at the centre of any news feature planning and production. They must come first when deciding on the topic, interviewing people and choosing talent and then should be at the forefront of the mind throughout the planning and recording process.

Even seemingly straightforward topics can have many news angles, and you should always explore the possibilities for each one. If there is an airline crash for example, the news angle could be how many people survived, or it might be that the captain pulled off a miracle landing.

Using the technique of “show, don’t tell” can make your news feature more interesting to listeners. It’s a lot more effective to describe how a person feels or what they think than simply telling them what happened.

Unlike hard news, there is more scope in a news feature for the writing style of the journalist to show through. However, this should never get in the way of the content.

The process of advocating for your nation’s interests around the world, diplomacy uses a variety of tools to advance peace and secure borders. Diplomacy is primarily a communication and negotiation tool that can be coercive but is often nonviolent.

The practice of diplomacy has developed and diversified over thousands of years, as various states, religions, ideologies, and explorations shaped international affairs. Today, diplomats are trained to communicate with people of different cultures, and leaders employ a variety of techniques to achieve their foreign policy goals.

These include international dialogue and negotiations, usually facilitated by accredited ambassadors or envoys, and the use of back-channel communications and private meetings. Large international conferences are another important aspect of diplomacy, where dozens or even hundreds of heads-of-state meet to discuss issues such as global warming and migration.

Diplomacy can be bilateral or multilateral, but is most often conducted between two states or governments. Diplomacy may also involve nonstate actors and groups, though these tend to be more informal and unofficial.

The primary practitioners of diplomacy are diplomats, and the practice is governed by the laws of the receiving state and international agreements. For example, the person of a diplomatic agent is inviolable and cannot be arrested, unless he commits a serious crime or fails to perform his official duties. The residences and property of diplomats are likewise inviolable, and the restraining of any agent of a diplomatic mission or his family is considered a breach of honor.

A parliamentary vote is a vote to pass, amend, or reject legislation. This type of voting is used in many parliamentary systems, including those of the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries. Almost all parliamentary systems are based on Robert’s Rules of Order, but they may vary in how the rules are applied.

Most of the world’s nations practice democracy, and most of these use a parliamentary system rather than a presidential system like that of the United States. These parliamentary systems come in different forms and have distinct institutions that shape the way the nation functions.

One of the distinguishing characteristics of a parliamentary system is the supremacy of the legislative branch. This legislative body is called a parliament, and it can be either bicameral (with two chambers) or unicameral (one chamber). Legislative votes are binding on the executive branch, which is known as the cabinet of the prime minister, and can override the head of state’s veto power with a simple majority vote.

Parliaments can be elected using a variety of electoral systems, but most Western European parliamentary governments employ a variant on the Westminster model. These parliaments have semi-circular debating chambers and prioritize committee work over plenary sessions.

The parliamentary system is popular with some voters because of the way it allows smaller parties and minority groups to receive representation. In contrast, the presidential system gives the executive branch to a single individual who can ignore these minorities, creating social tensions. Parliamentary democracy also gives the people a direct say in their government through periodic elections that can remove the governing body from office if they lose favor with the public.